Chest



June 20, 1933, E. R005 1,914,729

CHEST Filed Nov. 23, 1931 2Q {3 ZZ Patented June 20, 1933 EDWARD lROOS, F RIVER FQREST, ILLINOIS cHEsr Application led November 23, 1931. Serial No. 576,715.

This invention relates to furniture, and mlpre particularly to clothes chestsl and the li e.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a new and improved chest having a novel arrangement of containers therein.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved lid for clothes l0 chests having a novel compartment associated therewith.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved clothes chest having a plurality of compartments so arranged that certain of said compartments may be opened without disturbing certain others.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved chest having a novel arrangement of hinges for the closure whereby the latter may be opened within a limited space.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved chest that is simple in construction and eiiicient in use.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the chest showing same in'closed position;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same showing the closure in open position;

Fig. 3 is is a transverse section showing the lid in open position;

Fig. 4 is a section through the front portion of the chest showing the latch in position for holding the lid in closed position; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the slightly modified form of chest showing the same in closed position.

Seasonal clothing, such as fur coats, cloaks and like garments, are usually stored during periods when they are not needed. In order to prevent their damage by moth larvae, it is common practice to store such articles in cedar chests owing to the baleful effect the odor or vapor of cedar has on these moth larvae.

It is well known that the fumes or vapors from cedar are effective in preventing damage to fabrics by moths only when those fabrics are in a confined space in the presence of cedar odors and vapors. For this reason, it

is desirable that the compartment be of cedar, 55 or at least have cedar wood within the enclosure and be practically air tight in order to confine the vapor within the compartment. Even when the chest is of cedar and air tight,

it often becomes necessary for the housewife w to open the chest for things she desires tem-- porarily, and, in opening the chest, though for a very short time, the vapor escapes and an opportunity is afforded the moth for entering the chest. If the article removed is 05 left out of the chest for a few days, the eggs of the moth may be deposited on the same, and the garment with the eggs thereon returned to the chest.

In order to avoid these diiculties, the pres- 7G ent invention provides an auxiliary compartment within the chest for containing those articles that may be required from time to time whereby access may be had to them without opening the main compartment. 75

Referring now to the drawing, the refer-l ence character 9 designates the chest generallyv which comprises a lower or main compartment 10 having a closure 11 therefor. Clo-v sure 11 comprises an upper or auxiliary com- 80 partment 12 and a lid 13.

lf desired, the chest may be provided withv supporting members whereby access may be more conveniently had to the main and aux-. iliary compartments thereof. Any suitablex B5 form or support may be employed for this purpose. As shown, each end of the lower compartment has depending therefrom the supporting standards 14 and 15 which are rigidly attached to a base member 16, clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The base member 16 may be engaged by the brace member 160. While the supporting members are preferably employed, it is understood they may be dispensed with, if desired.

The lower or main compartment 10 comprises the back and front Walls 17 and 18-and bottom wall 19 and the end walls 21, as is usual in such constructions. These walls are preferably of cedar, or, if a veneer structure 10 is used, the inner layer is of cedar, whereby the vapors of the Vvolatile constituents of the wood will escape into the compartment.

The closure for the lower compartment is in the form of an upper or auxiliary compartment 12 which is adapted to be inged to the lower compartment and to seat on the upper edge thereof.

It is common practice in the manufacture of cedar chests to hinge the lid or closure directly to the upper edge of the chest. Due to the depth of the lid or closure, it is necessary to pull the chest away from the wall in order to provide clearance when it is desired to open the lid or closure.

The present invention seeks to overcome this difficulty by'` the provision of means whereby it is not necessary to provide additional clearance for opening the chest lid.

Any suitable means may be lemployed for this purpose. In the form of construction selected to illustrate one embodiment of the invention, a pair of hinge supporting members 22 and 23 are attached to the back wall 17 of the lower compartment and extend above the upper edge thereof. The upper compartment 12 is hinged to the upper ends of the supporting members 22 and 23, as by means of the hinges 24 and 25. These hinges are preferably attached to the forward side of said supporting members. The closure 13 for the upper compartment 12 is hinged to said compartment by suitable hinges 26, 27 and 28. It will thus be seen that when the closure for the lower compartment is in open position, as shown in Fig. 2, the same will not extend rearwardly a substantial distance beyond the supporting members 22 and 23. rI`he upper or auxiliary compartment is preferably provided around its lower edge with a strip of felt or sealing strip 29 for engaging the upper edge of the lower compartment for forming a substantially dust-proof oint. The lid may likewise be provided with a sealing strip 31 for engaging the upper edge of the upper compartment lfor forming a dustproof joint therewith.

The lower compartment is provided with a lock or latch 32 for locking the upper compartment or closure in closed position. A spring pressed latch or lock 33 is provided on the upper compartment for engaging the closure 13 for locking the two together. The spring pressed latch may also be provided with key operated means for securing the same in locked position.

When it is desired to store fabrics oriseasonal garments, the closure 11 is opened, as

shown in Fig. 2, and the material stored in the lower compartment 10, after which the closure is moved to the dotted line position and locked in such position. Articles that it isdesired to use from time to time, but which it isdesired to maintain in storage when not in actual use, may be placed in the upper compartment. 'By pressing on the catch 33, the same may be release and the lid 13 moved to the position shown in Fig. 3. It will thus be seen that when it is desired to obtain the articles that are placed in the upper compartment, it is not necessary to open the lower compartment or to disturb the upper compartment 12. The latch 33 is provided with an inclined surface 34 which, the keeper 35 is adapted to engage for automatically retracting the bolt of the latch 33 when the lid is lowered to closed position. By releasing the latch 32, the lid and upper compartment 12 may be raised as a unitary structure for giving access to the lower compartment.

The form of construction shown in Fig. 2 differs from that in the remaining figures in that the upper compartment is vmade of cheaper material-that is, of wood which is not cedar. In this construction, the lower compartment 37 is made of cedar or cedar veneer as in the previous construction, and the upper compartment 38 may be made of different wood. The upper compartment may have attached to its lower side a veneer of cedar 39, so that when the closure is down, the lower compartment will be enclosed in cedar wood on all sides.

It will be understood that various changes in the form, size, construction, composition and arrangement of the several parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention; hence, it is not desired to be limited strictly to the structure herein set forth.

What I claim, therefore, is:

1. In a chest, a lower compartment, an upper compartment hinged thereto, said upper compartment forming a closure for said lower compartment and a lid hinged to said chest for closing said upper compart-l ment, said upper compartment and closure being movable about a common axis.

3. In a chest, a lower compartment having cedar wood exposed to the interior thereof, an upper compartment hinged to said lower compartment and forming a closure therefor, locking means for securing said compartment together, a lid hinged to said upf per compartment for forming a closure therefor and a spring pressed'latch for connecting said lid to said upper compartment,

the axes of the hinges between said lid and upper compartment and between said compartments being in alignment.

4. A chest comprising a lower compartment, a receptacle formin a closure for said compartment, a lid hinge to the upper edge of said receptacle, said receptacle having a substantial depth, hinge supports secured to the back wall of said lower compartment and extending above the upper edge thereof, and hinges secured to the upper portions of said receptacle and supports, whereby said receptacle and lid may be opened while the back of said chest occupies a position adjacent to the wall of a building.

5. In a chest, a lower com artment, a closure therefor, said closure bemg hinged at its upper edge, the interior surface of top, sides, ends and bottom walls of said compartment being of cedar wood, said closure comprising an upper compartment having walls of a material other than'cedar, a closure hinged to u the upper edge of said upper compartment and a veneer of cedar wood on the bottom surface of said upper compartment.

6. A chest comprising a lower compartment, a receptacle having a substantial depth, a closure for said receptacle hinged to the upper edge thereof means including hinge members for hingedly connecting the upper edge of said receptacle to said compartment whereby' said lid and receptacle may be o ned independently while the back of said c est occupies a position adjacent to the wall of a building.

In testimony whereof, I aix m signature.

EDW ROOS. 

